Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics How many guys hunt with lighted Reticle

I really like a center dot option, as I often hunt a bit past legal deer-season hours for a pig of opportunity. I've used several variants of the VX-R and they can come in handy in those dim light conditions. For deer, there's only been a handful of times I needed illumination during legal hours, and they were in the deep woods on cloudy evenings.

These three were right at dark, behind my house. (VX-R 3-9x40)

on my scopes that i hunt with on my rifles it is an option but seldom used.

Agree. As you get older its a bit harder to pick up fine reticles against certain backgrounds.

I do.

A few weeks ago, I used a Nightforce SHV 3-10x42 with their illuminated Forceplex reticle to shoot a hog in Texas. There was some illumination but I was glad for the glowing red crosshairs.

I started using them after a Roosevelt elk hunt where I got a shot at about 4:30 PM. I had a 4x Leupold with a standard duplex reticle on my 338. I broke the bull's spine and dropped him but was still kicking and I couldn't see the crosshairs well enough to hit him a second time. It's gloomy in the woods during hunting season here, and the fog and rain that are standard for that time of year make it dark well before legal shooting hours are over.

Scope makers overdid the illumination for a while but now we're starting to see some reticles that are much easier to use. I agree 100% with what people have posted about only having a very small part of the reticle that lights up, and being able to turn the illumination down to be very dim.

I've got a Meopta MeoSport 3-15x50 headed this way and will post a report on it once I get some time with it.


Okie John

I've got Swarovski and Leupold illuminated scopes. A huge advantage when hunting Leopard or culling at night.

I've never used them for NA game, however, forest hunting can get pretty dark during shooting hours. So they have a place here.

I like them, as they draw my eye quicker to the intersection of the crosshairs. I currently have a Leupold Firedot and a Trijicon something.

Around here we have not only sex, but also antler, restrictions (3 point minumum and spike only). If it's light enough to count antler tines I probably don't need my lighted reticle.

I love #4 reticles in general but having the dot in the center is my favorite. I am still waiting to use it on black hogs after dark but in testing on other critters in low light ( not shooting them) I find it pretty damn cool and promising.

As has been mentioned many of them are too bright on the lowest setting. To my eyes the best one I've got for the purpose you have to get to the third or fourth position to see it's even on in the daylight. And that's on probably the cheapest scope I own. And Oculus. 4-16x44 with just a center Dot that is illuminated..

I have them on a few guns and find them useful. In PA I hunt some dark woods for deer and we lose sunlight before legal shooting is over. The red dot lets me know exactly where the center of my crosshair is.

I have Mueller, Leupold, and Bushnell. all with adjustable red dot. most of my hunting is night varmit calling or night hog stand sitting. The dot for me has been a great help, no looking for crosshairs. no real need for daytime, but invaluable for night work.

I'm switching over to them on my rifles.

At age 64 i've never needed an illuminted reticle.....except once......and I was "successfully" glad I had it. Won't hunt with out one now.

Alan

I do a lot of night hunting for hogs and predators, I think Ive got six scopes will illuminated reticles and I use them all. Other than that Ive taken a couple shots at dusk and they were helpful.

I have two Burris scopes with a lighted dot on a #4 reticle. I keep it on the minimum setting. It's not visible until the last bit of daylight.

I have and use many, best are just a dot in the center and can be turned down to barely visible to a brighter dot for daytime use. Daytime drive hunts are good with them, and night you just need the barely lit dot.

It's just like anything else in life, if you don't have it you don't see the need and just say I don't need it . . . but if you've ever used them, you know what you're missing and will strive to have them on all your outfits, because THEY JUST PLAIN WORK!!

I started using them years ago when the shooting hours were more liberal.

As duplex reticles get wider and thinner these days, also makers seem to offer only offerings that disappear in heavy cover, I find for me illumination is mandatory for my hunting scopes.

Last 15 min of "legal" time here is Louisiana, my S&B Polar #4 reticle dot is turned on every hunt. In thick timber you could possibly loose the crosshairs, but not that faint dot.

If it is a good illuminated system they work great, even though I hardly ever use it . If not would rather not have it. I have 2 crossbows and unfortunately they came with Hawke scopes that have illumination . I never ever turn on the illumination it is that bad.

I like the Leupold fire dot works great when your eyes are tired.